Question 1

What is the difference between JPG and TIFF?

Accepted Answer

JPG is a compressed, lossy image format optimized for small file sizes and web use. It reduces detail to save space, supports 8-bit color per channel, and is ideal for photos where slight quality loss is acceptable. JPG does not support transparency and repeated edits can degrade quality due to recompression.
TIFF is a high-quality, flexible format often used in professional and archival workflows. It supports lossless compression (or none), higher bit depths, layers, metadata, and optional transparency, preserving maximum detail. The trade-off is much larger file sizes compared to JPG.

Question 2

Will converting JPG to TIFF improve image quality or just preserve it?

Accepted Answer

Converting a JPG to TIFF will not improve image quality. A JPG is already compressed with lossy methods, so the lost detail and artifacts can’t be recovered by saving it as a different format.
What the conversion can do is preserve the current quality going forward. Saving as TIFF (especially uncompressed or lossless compressed) prevents further quality loss from repeated saves, unlike JPG which re-compresses each time.
Use JPG→TIFF when you need lossless editing, printing workflows, or metadata/color profile stability. If you only need smaller files for web or sharing, staying with JPG is usually best.

Question 3

Which TIFF compression should I choose (LZW, ZIP, none) and how does it affect quality and size?

Accepted Answer

Choose LZW or ZIP for lossless compression; both preserve image quality 100%. LZW is widely compatible and fast, especially effective on images with flat areas or graphics. ZIP often compresses photographic or noisy images slightly better but can be slower. Select none only if you need maximum compatibility or fastest saving, understanding the file will be much larger.
In terms of size, none = largest, LZW = moderate reduction, ZIP = equal or slightly better than LZW depending on content. In terms of quality, all three are lossless and identical visually. For most workflows: use LZW as a safe default, try ZIP if you want smaller files for photos, and use none only when compression causes issues with specific software.

Question 4

Are layers, transparency, and color profiles preserved when converting to TIFF?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but it depends on how the TIFF is saved. The TIFF format can store layers, transparency (alpha channel), and embedded color profiles (ICC). However, many converters flatten images by default. If you need these features preserved, ensure the export settings explicitly keep layers, alpha, and ICC profiles.
Layers: Preserved only if the converter writes layered TIFFs; otherwise, the image is flattened into a single composited layer. Transparency: Kept when the TIFF uses an alpha channel (e.g., 8/16-bit per channel with RGBA). If the tool drops alpha, transparent areas become solid (often white or black).
Color profiles: Most tools can embed ICC profiles (like sRGB, Display P3, Adobe RGB) in TIFF. If embedding is disabled or unsupported, the image may be converted to a default space, risking color shifts. For best results, enable “Embed ICC profile,” choose a desired profile, and avoid forced color conversions unless needed.

Question 5

What resolution or DPI should I use for print-ready TIFF files?

Accepted Answer

For print-ready TIFF files, a standard resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch) is recommended for high-quality prints such as photos, brochures, and magazines. For large-format prints viewed from a distance (posters, banners), 150–200 DPI can be acceptable, while small text or fine detail (line art) may benefit from 600 DPI or higher. Always match the pixel dimensions to the final print size to avoid unwanted scaling.
Ensure the file is in the correct color space for the print process: CMYK for most offset/press workflows and RGB (often sRGB or Adobe RGB) for many digital printers unless specified otherwise. Check your printer’s specifications, embed the appropriate ICC profile, and disable resampling unless you’re deliberately resizing to the target print dimensions at the chosen DPI.

Question 6

Is the resulting TIFF file lossless, and how large will it be compared to the original JPG?

Accepted Answer

Yes—the resulting TIFF is lossless, meaning it won’t introduce further compression artifacts; however, converting from a lossy JPG won’t recover detail already lost. In terms of size, TIFF files are typically much larger than JPGs: expect anywhere from 3× to 10× (or more) depending on image content and whether the TIFF uses no compression or LZW/ZIP lossless compression, which can reduce size but will still usually exceed the original JPG.

Question 7

Will metadata (EXIF, IPTC) be kept during the conversion?

Accepted Answer

Yes—when supported by the target format, we preserve EXIF and IPTC metadata during conversion; however, certain formats or quality settings may not retain all fields, and if you choose options like strip metadata or convert to formats that don’t fully support these standards, some or all metadata may be removed.

Question 8

Can I convert multiple JPGs to a single multi-page TIFF?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can combine multiple JPGs into a single multi-page TIFF: first, ensure all images share the desired resolution, color space, and order; then use a tool that supports TIFF multipage creation. On Windows, try IrfanView (File > Batch Conversion/Rename, or create multipage TIFF via TIF save options) or ImageMagick with a command like magick image1.jpg image2.jpg image3.jpg -compress lzw output.tiff. On macOS/Linux, use ImageMagick similarly. Choose a compression (LZW/ZIP for lossless, JPEG for smaller size) and verify the page order before saving.

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